This weekend was spent at the beach, drinking beer, sunbathing and cooling off in the sea!

Fabio and I in the sea cooling off!

Happy Birthday Joinville!

On March 9th it is Joinville's 161st Birthday. In true Brazilian style it is a holiday! They need no excuse!

We are going to stay with friends again at Porto Belo Beach and this time round the weather looks like it will be sunny!!

An a completely different note. I won a competition today with I heart Vintage Button Bouquets. I looooove all of her work and she had a competition where you had to end in a colours and a theme. I chose red and cream with a Brazilian Carnival theme - and won! So now she is making me something with this information!

Have a look at her stuff!!

Yesterday was Lila and Nelson's first wedding anniversary party. I was really happy to go as last year I was also in Brazil for their wedding. I also met Fabio at Nelson's birthday party, so the couple have played an important part in my Brazilian life!


There was lots of beer, a band and lots of espetinhos - or kebabs.  I also got to wear my new 50% off shoes as well!

It was a really good party, one of the highlights for me was talking to new people. Despite the fact I have been here for nearly 6 months now, my Portuguese is HORRENDOUS. I understand nearly everything. But my speaking is so bad that I don't practice,I don't practice, so I don't learn - it's a vicious circle. The past couple of weeks have been a little difficult. I miss not being able to properly communicate and express myself fully. I feel like people here only now half a Jocelyn and not the full scintillating Jocelyn I can be because of the language (and cultural sometimes) barrier.

However it is my fault, I am in a foreign country, I should be speaking their language, so as much as I mope and despair it is my own fault!

I have had a couple of unfortunate incidents. One being at Angelonis. I asked for Pão de queijo. (cheese bread)  That little hat/ nasal sound over the a is very important. Unfortunately I haven't got the nasal sound yet and asked for pau de queijo..... d*ck bread. :( I  also still can't hear the difference between coco  (coconut) and  cocô (poo!)

On the plus side I was in Angelonis the other day and this girl was badgering me to get an Angelonis card. I politely told her no and she was going on about all the offers you get etc. I told her no again and she still went on. So I broke out my rubbish Portuguese and told her 'Eu sou Ingleasa, nao morro aqui' (I am English I don't live here) she was super surprised to see a gringa in Angelonies and left me alone!!

So I am going to try and speak more Portuguese.... we'll see how it goes....